On Oct. 6, the PBR Illinois staff hosted its annual fall Unsigned Senior Showcase, providing 2020 grads with the platform to perform ahead of the final offseason of their prep careers. Year after year, this event always seems to spotlight a handful of Illinois seniors who have flown under the radar for too long, bringing them some much-deserved attention.

After providing rapid post-event analysis in last week, in the form of our Quick Hits and Stats Story, we’re onto our position-by-position breakdown today, starting with the showcase’s catchers.

We ranked a few of the top backstops of the day, led by Joliet Catholic’s Joseph Batusich. He’s reliable behind the plate with his catch-and-throw, as well as his skills as a receiver and blocker. And he can really hit, too. This group features a quite a few names who can really impact a roster at the next level, so see for yourself below.

TOP PROSPECTS

1. Joseph Batusich, Joliet Catholic Academy, 2020
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. Strong, durable frame, wide-shoulders.
Hit: SH. Athletic, confident look in the box from the left side. Starts balanced and quiet, smooth load and short stride. Loose, strong hands, creates bat speed, bat stays flat through the zone, extension through contact. Consistently on time, hard gap-to-gap contact.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 78 mph. INF - 81 mph. Short arm action, works over-the-top. Throws play true and accurate.
Defense: 2.11-2.19 pop times. Clean and efficient out of the crouch. Active, willing blocker. Soft, strong hands, sticks pitches in the zone.
Run: 7.9 runner in the 60. 

2. Michael Davis, St. Charles North, 2020
Positional Profile: C/2B
Body: 5-foot-10, 160-pounds. Wide-shouldered, athletic build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open setup, minimal load and long stride. Aggressive swing, present bat speed, looks to lift the baseball, flashed pull-power.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 79 mph. INF - 81 mph. Short, over-the-top slot, quick arm. Accurate throws with carry.
Defense: 1.97-2.07 pop times. Worked out behind the plate and on the infield. Athletic and quick out of the crouch, direction varies at times. On the infield, profiles as a corner infielder. Hands play steady, works through the baseball, winds up through exchange at times.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60. 

3. Andrew Petsche, Oswego East, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-foot-2, 183-pounds. Long athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Tall setup, balanced, short stride with subtle lift. Uphill path with bat speed, aggressive swings, pull side power approach.
Power: 94 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average power, ball jumped off the bat to pull side at times, attacks the baseball.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short arm action, over the top slot.
Defense: 2.11-2.19 pop times. Short footwork, deliberate out of the crouch, clean exchange.Solid receiver, sets up square with low target, soft hands, stays quiet.
Run: 7.03 runner in the 60. Long strided runner, above average.

3. Trevor Thurston, Marian Catholic, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, athletic setup, smooth loading action, slight bat wrap, uses lower half and maintains solid balance. Short path, level through contact, hits off back side with line drive gap to gap approach. Confident in the box and elevates contact.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short over the top arm action.
Defense: 2.11-2.23 pop times. Solid actions, strong block, agile behind the plate. Directional actions out of the crouch, athletic feet.
Run: 7.15 runner in the 60. 

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Zach Brothen, Lincoln-Way East, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 190-pounds. Strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, short heel lift stride, remains balanced through contact. Short path, handsy swing with uphill finish, topspin contact.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 63 mph. Short over the top slot.
Defense: 2.43-2.57 pop times. Gets out of the crouch tall, directional to target.
Run: 7.23 runner in the 60. 

Trevor Cashmer, Tinley Park, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 160-pounds. Lean slender build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, sawys into loading action with bat waggle, drops hands into load with short stride. Long path, slightly uphill, elevates contact, opposite field tendency.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 69 mph. Long arm action working out of high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.35-2.47 pop times. Long actions out of the crouch, footwork shuffles out in front of the plate.
Run: 7.22 runner in the 60. 

Charles Gannon, Dekalb, 2020
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-foot, 155-pounds. Long, lanky frame, projectable build.
Hit: RHH. Tall narrow setup, slightly closed, leg kick trigger. Sets hand sload and gradual brings up into load. Path stays on top of the baseball, short to it, loose hands, gap to gap contact.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. OF - 75 mph. Short arm action out of high 3/4 slot, arm side run.
Defense: 2.22-2.38 pop times. Efficient actions out of the crouch, direct and subtle feet. Quiet receiver, sets up square. In the outfield plays through the baseball, shuffles through, plays in stride.
Run: 6.95 runner in the 60. Above average runner, long stride covers ground.

Jack Gilbert, Mount Carmel, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-foot-4, 195-pounds. Long, lanky frame, lean and projectable.
Hit: RHH. Slightly closed setup, short stride, subtle bat waggle load, average balance. Level path, pull side approach, hard contact at times.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short loose arm action, works over the top.
Defense: 2.12-2.19 pop times. Directional out of the crouch, feet and hands work together, quick block actions, moved well out of the crouch.
Run: 7.61 runner in the 60. 

Isaiah Hernandez, De La Salle, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 170-pounds. Solid build, durable.
Hit: LHH. Open stance, smooth loading action, short stride to even, maintains good balance. Long path and finish, flashed extension through the baseball.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 69 mph. Over the top slot, short arm action.
Defense: 2.33-2.43 pop times. Strong receiver, agile and athletic works hard behind the dish, active blocker.
Run: 8.01 runner in the 60. 

Max Herr, Champaign Central, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-11, 195-pounds. Stong, wide shouldered build.
Hit: RHH. Crouched, open setup, athletic setup. Loads hands back, short stride to even, maintains balance. Flashed hard content, hits with intent, pull side approach with bat strength present.
Power: 98 mph exit velocity from the tee. Hard contact with above average pop for age.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short over the top slot, occasional carry.
Defense: 2.20-2.44 pop times. Stays low out of the crouch, long release, gathers through transfer. Solid block, squares up and shows agility.
Run: 7.54 runner in the 60. 

Christopher MacDougall, Fremd, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-10, 180-pounds. Compact frame, strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Open stance, short stride, simple approach, good balance. Level path, gap to gap approach.
Power: 83 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Short, over the top slot.
Defense: 2.28-2.39 pop times. Gets tall out of the crouch, footwork hops out of the crouch, gets direct to ward target.
Run: 8.16 runner in the 60. 

Anthony Ranallo, Lake Forest, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-foot-10, 190-pounds. Solid, strong build, strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, short stride, loads hands back, partial lower half. Line drive contact, path has slight uphill finish, pull side approach.
Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Over the top slot, long draw.
Defense: 2.19-2.36 pop times. Stays low out of the crouch, long strided gains ground to target. Receives with narrow setup.
Run: 7.38 runner in the 60. 

Steven Russell, Lemont, 2020
Positional Profile: C
Body: 6-foot, 185-pounds. Proportional frame.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open stance, short stride, average balance. Long path, slightly uphill plane.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 66 mph. Long arm path, over the top slot.
Defense: 2.31-2.44 pop times. Sets up tall, feet shuffle to glove side.Sets up low receiving,
Run: 7.88 runner in the 60. 

Zachary Taylor, Stevenson, 2020
Positional Profile: 1B/C
Body: 6-foot-1, 195-pounds. Large, strong build, wide shoulders.
Hit: RHH. Open stance, loads hands back, short stride, average balance. Hard contact off of aggressive swing path, present bat strength.
Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average pop off the bat.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. INF - 73 mph. Arm plays short, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.16-2.28 pop times. Looked more natural around the bag at first base, feet and hands work together. Out of the crouch works tall to release, short footwork.
Run: 7.72 runner in the 60.

RELATED CONTENT